Internal-combustion engine



l. E. DIAMOND.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APII. I, 191B.

y IIII 2 SHEETS-SHEET Patented May 25,1920?.

IIIIIIIII fnl/elim* w 19M l. E. DIAMOND.

iNTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION man 'APR.1.1918.

Patented May 25, 1920..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Izzi/@Idar imm f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. DIAMOND, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE-ALUMINUM CASTINGS COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

191B. Serial N0. 226,089.

To all ywhomv t may conce/m Be it known that I, JAMES E. DIAMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Oombustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

`This invention, in its structural aspects, relates to an improved frame and cylinder construction for internal combustion engines, the present application being a division of my pending application Serial No. 174,698, filed June 14., i917.

- One object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine having a light weight in relation to its power capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion engine having high thermodynamic and mechanical efficiencies.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved composite frame and cylinder construction in which the main frame parts are formed of light weight metal or alloy while the side walls of the cylinders proper are formed separately with physical characteristics giving them suitable wear-resisting and heat conducting qualities.

Another object of the invention is to provide an engine structure such as last referred to in which the separately formed cylinder walls are integrally attached to the main frame parts when the latter are cast:A

Other objects which I have sought to attain will be understood from the following description in which I set forth, invconnection with the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the invention4 Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through one of the cylinders of an engine embodying my improvements, the section being taken on the line 1-1 of 2.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the cylinder head casting. l

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper part of the main frame casting of the engine.

In the drawings, 1 indicates as an entirety the main frame casting of the engine which is preferably formed of metal of low speclfic gravity, such as a suitable alumim num alloy. This casting comprises the upper part l `of a closed crank case and the walls of a water jacket l", the crank case and acket parts of the casting being joined by a contracted section 1C. In its upper part the casting l is formed with a series of horizontally disposed rings l, le, lf, 1g, said rings being connected with the main walls of the casting l by bridge or tie parts l, lh. The rings 1d, le, andi'lf, l, respectively are preferably united at l and ll.

The cylinders proper are in the form of sleeves 2, 2 of suitable wear-resisting material, preferably bronze or other alloys hav ing the desired physical characteristics. Certain of the known bronzes have very e.\'- cellent bearing and wear-resisting qualities and coefiicients otl thermal expansion ap proximating or relatively closely approaching those oi aluminum alloys such as are suitable for the main frame casting of the engine; and these same bronzes also have high coeflicients oi thermal conductivity, in comparison with iron or steel. As for the other alloys referred to, it has been demonstrated in the production ol aluminum alloy pistons that it is possible, by casting aluminum alloys ot suitable composition in permanent metal molds` to secure a tine grained, hard, strong product having good bearing qualities, and a similar casting process and similar materials may be used to produce cylinder sleeves ha ving the desired physical characteristics. Of course cylinder sleeves such as lastreferreo to have coeflicients of thermal expansion and conductivity substantially the same as those of aluminum alloys such as would be used for the main frame casting. With the cylinder sleeves made of bronzes or other suit'- able alloys, it is possible by reason of the thermal characteristics of these materials, to integrally unite the sleeves at both of their ends without having the structure subjected to unduly large stresses incident to differences ofexpansion and contraction of the frame and cylinder sleeve parts. The

' main advantages of my invention can be attained by securing the bronze or other alloy cylinder sleeves to the main frame casting by any of the well known mechanical fastening and packing devices but I prefer l y Patented May 25, 1920. i y Original application led June 14, 1917, Serial No. 174,698. Divided and this application iiled April 1,

to take advantage of the above mentioned thermal characteristics of the sleeve material and integrally unite the parts in the casting of the main frame 1.

In the construction of the engine by this last-mentioned method, the cylinder sleeves are preferably machined inside and outside and at their upper and lower ends are externally formed with projections adapted to interlock with the metal of the casting 1. Such projections can conveniently be formed by threading the end parts of the cylinder as indicated at 2a and 2 and then grooving said parts longitudinally as at 2C, 2. The sleeves prepared in this manner are suitably placed in the mold in which the main frame casting is to be poured. The frame casting is vthen poured and its molten metal forming the rings 1d, 1e, 1f, and 1"g fuses with the upper ends of the cylinder sleeves 2 while the molten metal forming the contracted part lc of the frame casting fuses with the lower parts of said cylinder sleeves so that both the 'upper and lowerf ends of the sleeves are integrally united with the main frame casting.

On the upper part of the frame and cylinder structure is mounted a head casting 4 which is also preferably Vformed of metalA of low specific gravity similar to that employed for the main casting 1. The head casting is removably secured to the main casting by screw bolts 5, 5, a suitable gasket- 6 being interposed between the two castings to insure a water and gas tight joint. The head casting is formed with a series of combustion chambers 4a, one for each cylinder of the engine. The head casting is also formed with inlet and exhaust passages 4b and 4c for each of the combustion chambers. The said passages' are controlled by puppet valves 7 and 8 which cooperate with seats 9 and 10. These seats are preferably formed of wear-resisting metal such as bronze or alloy steel and may be secured to the head casting in any suitable manner as by casting them in when the head casting is formed. The valves may be actuated in any suitable manner as by the cam operated rocker arms 11, 12 and springs 13, 14.

The head casting is chambered out to form a water jacket space 4d which surrounds the combustion chamber and the inlet and eX- haust passages 4b and 4. The water jacket space`41 of the head casting. as will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, is freely open to the water jacket space surrounding the cylinders 2. At a suitable point in the jacket wall 1b I form a water inlet opening 1D and at one end of the head casting 4 I form a water outlet opening 46. These inlet and outlet openings may be connected in any suitable manner with a radiator or other cooling apparatus.

The head casting 4 is provided in connection with each combustion chamber, with a cylindrical conduit 4f each of which opens into one of the combustion chambers and is adapted to receive a spark plug.

In each of the cylinder sleeves 2 is arranged a piston 15 preferably formedof an aluminum alloy or other metal of light weight and high thermal conductivity in comparison with iron. Each piston is operatively connected by connecting rod 16 with the crank shaft 17, said shaft being suitably mounted in bearings carried by the main frame casting 1. 18 is the bottom or pan member of the crank case. It is bolted in the usual manner to the upper part of the crank case and serves in connection therewith to entirely inclose the crank shaft, connecting rods, etc.

As previously explained the cylinder sleeves 2 are practically integrally united with the metal of the frame casting 1, so that there is no possibility of leakage from the water acket. For that matter the oints between the upper ends of the cylinder sleeves 2 and the frame casting 1 are covered by the gasket G.

The advantages secured by my invention will now be readily understood. By forming the upper part of the crank case and 'the water jacket walls in a single casting of light weight metal, making the head casting of similar light weight metal and making the cylinders proper in the form of relatively thin sleeves of suitable material such as above specified, the weight of the engine, for given cylinder dimensions, is substantially reduced in comparison with prior forms of construction. In addition to this my improvements rcsult in increased thermodynamic and mechanical efficiency and increased power capacity both in proportion to weight and in proportion to size.

The gains in mechanical and thermodynamic efficiency and in power capacity are due to several mutually related things. Since the cylinder walls proper are separately made of selected material of the character above described, the freedom of which from flaws and defects can be relied upon, the thickness of the said walls can be made uniform and reduced to a minimum. This thin uniform section together with the high thermal conductivity of the bronze or alloy employed insures uniform distribution of heat through the cylinder walls and their uniform contraction and expansion throughout. Under these conditions mcchanical friction between the pistons and the cylinder walls is reduced to a minimum and the working temperature of the cylinder walls can be more accurately controlled and maintained at a point favoring maximum thermmlynamic efliciency.

As has been stated, the cylinder head casting and the pistons, as well as the'main frame casting, are made 'of lightweight metal such as aluminum4 alloy. "lherfeore the top walls of the combustion chambers formed by the cylinder head casting, the bottom walls formed bythe pistons and the side or cylinder walls of bronze orother y alloy all have very high thermal conducsions, can be attained than was possible inl prior forms of, construction in which the cylinder walls were thicker, or made of metal having a much lower thermal conductivity, or both.

Other incidental advantages flow from my improved construction. For example, the working clearance between the aluminum pistons and the cylinder walls can be largely reducedl in comparison with prior practice with engines using aluminum alloy pistons in iron or steel cylinders, this being possible by reason of the equal, or more nearly equal. coefficients of expansion of the pistons and cylinder walls in my engine. One advantageous result of this reduction of clearance is the avoidance of so called piston slap, which has proven a source of much trouble in the producing of high speed, silently operating engines especially for pleasure vehicle uses.

ln referring herein to the metals forming y the cylinder sleeves or liners as having coeicients of expansion approximating those of the piston and the cylinde; casting, it is intended by the use of the terni approximate to include any suitable metal whose coefiicient of expansion approaches those of the piston and the cylinder casting relatively closely in comparsion with the coefficient of expansion of iron.

ln the construction shown my improvements are embodied in an engine having a separate hea d casting but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the useot a detachable head. And, in general` it will be understood that the .structure which l have shown and described has been set forth for the purpose oi illustration and explanation and that many modifications and variations can be made without departing from my invention.

What I claim is:

l. In an internal combustion engine the combination of a frame casting ot' light weight met-al having a high coeilicient of thermal expansion in comparison with iron and comprising water acket walls for the engine cylinder, and a cylinder sleeve separately formed of wear resisting metal having a coelicient of thermal expansion approximating that of the frame-casting, said casting being integrally united to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder sleeve bybeing -cast thereon to form a cooling water space to which the outside of the cylinder sleeve is directly exposed.

2, In'an internal combustion engine, the combination of a frame casting of light weight metal having a high coeliicient of thermal expansion. in comparison with iron and comprising water jacket walls for. the engine cylinder, and a cylinder sleeve -separately formed of wear resisting metal having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity in comparison with iron and a coeiiicient of thermal expansion approximating that of the frame casting` said casting being integrally united to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder sleeve by being cast thereon to form a cooling water space to which the outside of the cylinder sleeve. is directly exposed.

3. In an internalcombustion engine, the combinationotl a cylinder sleeve having its walls of' substantially uniform thickness and formed of wear resisting'metalhaving a high coeiiicient of thermal conductivity in comparison with iron, and a frame casting comprising a jacket surrounding said sleeve and forming a cooling water space to which the outside of the cylinder sleeve is directly' sleeve is directly exposed, the frame casting being integrally united to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder sleeve by being cast thereon, and-a Working piston in said cylinder made of light weight metal Ahaving high coeflicients of thermal conductivity and thermal expansion in comparison with iron, its coeliicient of thermal expansion approximating that of the cylinder sleeve.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination out a cylinder sleeve having its walls of substantially uniform thickness formed of wear resisting metal having high coeicients of thermal conductivity and thermal expansion in comparison with iron. a frame casting formed of light weightmetal and comprising a jacket surrounding the said cylinder sleeve and forming a cooling water space to which the outside ot said cylinder sleeve is directly exposed, the Jranie casting being integrally united to the upper and lower 4ends of the cylinder sleeve by being cast thereon. a water jacketed head castingformed of light weight metal having a high coelicient oi thermal conductivity in comparison with iron. and a working piston in the cylinder formed ot' light weight metal having high coeflicients'ot thermal conductivity aiid thermal expansion in comparison with iron, its coellicient of thermal expansion approximatingthat of the cylinder sleeve.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder sleeve having itsl walls of substantially uniform thickness and formed ot wear resisting metal having a high coeilicient ot' thermal conductivity iii comparison with ii'on` a frame casting comprising a jacket surroundingl said sleeve and forming a coolingwater space to which the outside ot' the cylinder sleeve is directly exposed, the t'rame casting heilig integrally united to the upper and lower ends ot the cylinder sleeve by being cast thereon, and a working piston in the cylinder sleeve formed of metal having a high coefiicieiit of conductivity in comparison with iron.

7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of' a separately formed cylinder sleeve having its walls of substantially uniform thickness and made of metal having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity in comparison with iron, a 'frame casting comprising a acket surrounding said sleeve and forming a cooling water space to which the outside of the cylinder sleeve is directly exposed, the frame casting being integrally united to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder sleeve by being cast thereon, a head casting for the cylinder formed of metal having a high coefiicient of thermal conductivity in comparison with iron, and a working piston in the cylinder sleeves formed of metal having a high coefiicient of conductivity in comparison with iron.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

I JIiIES E. DIAMOD. 

